MACKAY HUGH BAILLIE SCOTT | Rare and Important 'Daffodil' Dresser

Produced by John P. White, The Pyghtle Works, Bedford, England

London, Fischer Fine Art ‚ Truth, Beauty and Design: Victorian, Edwardian and later Decorative Art, May-June, 1986
Cambridge, Kettle's Yard, Baillie Scott, Sept-Oct 1995
Cumbria, Blackwell Arts and Crafts House, The Lake District and beyond: Arts and Crafts Designs and Interiors by MH Baillie Scott and CFA Voysey, July-October, 2011

Furniture made at the Pyghtle Works, Bedford by John P. White designed by M.H. Baillie Scott, Pyghtle Works sales catalogue, 1901, fig. 18 
J. Alfred Gotch, 'Modern Furniture', The Art Journal, January 1904, p. 133
Adrian J. Tilbrook and Fischer Fine Art Limited, Truth, Beauty and Design: Victorian, Edwardian and Later Decorative Art, exh. cat., Fischer Fine Art Limited, London, 1986, p. 66, fig. 163
The Fine Art Society Spring 1990, exh. cat, The Fine Art Society, London, 1990, illustrated p. 51, fig. 50

Overall in very good original condition. The wooden surfaces present with minor scattered scuffs, scratches and shallow indentations consistent with age and gentle use. The uppermost top surface with scattered minor staining, the largest approximately approximately 6 x 11 cm and not visible when the shelf is mounted onto its cabinet. The veneer and ebonised surfaces with minor fine hairline cracks consistent with age. The top surface of the cabinet is faded where the shelving unit rests and is not visible when installed. The rear edge of the same surface with a minor chip measuring approximately 3cm. The proper right edge of the same surface with a hairline crack radiating horizontally, appears stable and measures approximately 10cm. The centre of the left and right doors with a hairline crack measuring the width of the panel and is possibly the result of shrinkage over time. The proper left central vertical leg with an indentation measuring approximately 5mm x 1 cm. The base of each leg with scuffing and minor staining, not visually disruptive. The proper left side panel with a hairline crack radiating vertically which measures approximately 38cm and appears stable. The upper rear right section of the same panel with a minor abrasion which measures approximately 1 x 2cm. A superbly executed and rare example by this iconic designer.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Baillie Scott was the archetypal Arts and Crafts architect-designer. Born into a family of sheep farmers in Ramsgate, Kent, he trained at Cirencester Agricultural College before studying architecture. His country origins and love of nature were to inspire many of his greatest designs.
The present lot was made in the workshop of John P. White. Baille Scott began designing furniture for White in 1898 and the two eventually became close friends. In 1901, Baillie Scott and his family moved to Bedford, where White's workshop was located. The present lot is a superb example of Baillie Scott's furniture designed at the height of his career, dating to around the time he was creating his architectural masterpiece, Blackwell, near Windermere, which was completed in 1900.